Liquid-feeding system



June 5, 1923. 1,457,721

' A. M. WOLF LIQUID FEEDING SYSTEM Original Filed May 1917 w 1e 8 WITNESSES: F INVENTOR.

41 fixing res Parent 1,457,721 FFEQE.

AUSTIN M. WOLF OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

LIQUID-FEEDING SYSTEM.

Application filed May 5, 1917, Serial No. 166,574. Renewed July 12, 1922. Serial No. 574,541.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, AUSTIN M. WoLr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Feeding Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices designed to supply a liquid fuel to an internal combustion engine in which the supply of fuel is at! a lower level than the carburetor or vaporizing device of the engine and, therefore, requires elevating the fuel to a higher level. a

At the present time there is in existence the vacuum. system of supplying fuel to a tank elevated above the carburetor level, the suction in the intake pipe being utilized for this purpose. The disadvantages of this method lies in the fact that air is allowed to go into the intake manifold, thereby upsetting chiefly the low speed carburetor adjustment; Should the motor be adjusted for idling osition, without such a device, it is impossible to have it idle at the same low speed with the vacuum supply tank at tached. Another kind of feedsystem is onein which there is a diaphragm which isio'pwi erated upon by the pressures within-the -engine cylinder. The disadvantage of this method is that the compression volume of the cylinder is increased and the diaphragm is not able to stand up for a long period under the influence of the heat that is conducted to'it from the engine.

In order to overcomethese objections and to obtain a device which would in no way influence the operation of the engine, I will proceed to describe my invention.

' In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1

shows the device installed on an engine;

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the device with a vertical pumping element; Fig. 3 shows the device with a horizontal pumping element; Fig. 4 shows a unit comprising a plurality of pumping elements; Figs' 5, 6, and 7 show possible modifications of the device and Fig. 8 shows the use of a plurality of pumping elements located in different places.

Referring to Fig. l the internal combustion engine 1 has secured to it by means of a bracket the pumping device 2 which feeds fuel through the pipe 3 to carburetor 4.

Fuel is drawn through the pipe 5 from the tank 6 which is at a lower. level. The tank 6, if on an automobile, maybe in the usual place at the rear end of the car, or elsewhere on the chassis. If this device is used in a motor boat the tank 6 would be located in the bilge of the boat. If the prime mover is a stationary engine, the tank 6 is pi-obably located in the foundation or bed p ate.

In order to provide a means for actuating the pump of my device, I am utilizing the yibration that is set up by the engine and,- in the case of an automobile, also the vibration set .up by the car in motion, this vibration 'actuates a weighted member' which causes the pumping action.

Referring to Fig. 2, to the base-casting 7 is secured the diaphragm 8. Above thi s diaphragm is the; weight 9 with a-downwardly projecting stem by means of which it is attached to the diaphragm 8, and'above it and supporting it is the flexible spring 10 which is held to the stationary disc 11. In order to minimize the friction of the weight 9 in moving up and down under the influence of engine or car vibration, the sleeve 12 surrounds it. This sleeve can be an oil, impregnated wood bushing, forming a. hearing which is self-lubricating. and requires no attention whatsoever. It is possible to provide equally eflicient meansfor avoidin friction. For instance, the weight 9 could e surrounded by a block of graphite working'within a guiding sleeve.- The s ring i110 balances the weight 9 and in t is position the diaphragm 8 can be perfectly fiat. When the weight 9 flexes the diaphragm '8 due to vibration, the feed pipe 5 supplies fuel by the ball check 13, into the space 14, on the upward movement of the weight and diaphragm. On the descending movement of same, the fuel that has been drawn ,into space 14 is now forced through passageway 15 to the sediment chamber 16 and by the valve 17 The tank 2 will become filled with fuel until the float 18 to which is ailixed the wire 19, rises and when the proper level is reached a small ferrule 19 on the lower end of wire 19 will hold up the valve 17 thereby, preventing the diaphragm from pumping more fuel by the ball check 13. Fuel feeds from the hole to act as upper guide for the wire 19 and is also provided with a vent hole 21.

A cap 22 is provided which, when the tank is first installed on an engine, allows the tank to be primed by pouring fuel in the top of the cap 20 which will pass through a drilled hole 23 into the float chamber.

In order to allow the weighted member 9 to move up and down freely, vent holes 24 are 10 provided beneath it. In the case of an automobile. the road jounce is farmore severe than the vibration comingfrom the engine when same is turning over very slowly. In order that the pump be operative under all conditions, the pump element must necessarily be sensitive to the smallest vibration occurring. When the engine is idling the weighted member 9 and the spring it! are such as to be sensitive to this smallest vibration. In order to prevent damage to these parts when the automobile is going over very rough roads or causing considerably higher vibration than the enginewould itself in idling and when the car is not n'ioving, the

disc 11 seals the chamber above the weight 9. A small hole 25 in the disc 11 restricts a violent movement of the weight 9. the whole mechanism being in effect a dash-pot. Holes 26 above the disc 11. are provided in order that the air pulsating through the hole 25 have free access to the atmosphere. It will be understood that it is possible to provide a construction in which the weight 9 will be immersed in the fuel in which the dash-pot effect would be the same, excepting vibrations, or the device or body in which.

the engine is suspended, to place the diaphragm at an angle.

Referring to Fig. 4, two-diaphragms 28 and 29 have the weighted members 30 and 31 respectively. pumping elements, it is possible to make each one susceptible to certain Vibrations. For instance, in the case of anautomobile, the

pumping unit '29, 31 could be sensitive to engine vibrations whereas the unit 28, 30 would be influenced by the vibration of the automobile in motion. The fuel is supplied through the ball check 32 in the same manner as previously described. It is possible to use a plurality of valves, if'so desired. The passageway 33 communicated with the In using'a plurality of tank 2 and the remaining operations of the device are the same. It will be seen that it is possible to arrange one pump element in a different plane from the other in order to make them correspond to vibrations may occur in different planes.

Referring to Fig. 5 the tank 2 is provided with the diaphragm 34 to the center of which is affixed the clevis 35. The fulcrum 36 supports the bell crank 37, the latter being attached to the' clevis 35 of the diaphragm. Suspended at the end of the bell crank 37 is the weight 38 which under the influence of the vibration actuates the diaphragm 34 and causes the pumping action previously de scribed.

Referring to Fig. 6 the bell crank 37 supports the weight 38 so that same can be slid on the bell crank and thereby vary the distance at which the weight can be placed from the fulcrum. T he. wire 39 or a similar control means, controls the sliding movement of the weight 38 on the bell crank. The wire 39 is connected to the throttle or to the controlling element of the engine; in such a way that when the engine is running slowly the weight 38 will be at the greatest distance from the fulcrum and when the engine is running at an increased speed the weight 38 is placed nearer to the fulcrul'n.

Referring to Fig. 7, the cylinder 40 is provided with apiston 41 which is suspended by the spring 42. Under the piston is located the ball check 43 which acts as the inlet valve for the pump and the fuel is dis charged through the passageway 44. In this way it will beseen that the weighted element can be used as a piston without any intervening mechanism. The weighted member can actuate a rod passingthrough a stuffing box, the pump valves beinglocated in the customary way for pumping action.

Referring to Fig. 8, it will be seen that the engine 1. is n-ovided with the feeding device 2 attached to it. In the tank 6 which we will assume is located on the automobile,-is the pumpingunit 45. It is placed at the bottom of the tank in order that it may draw fuel 'until the tank is empty and feeds the tank 2 through the pipe 5. In this construction it will be seen that the pumping element immediately adjacent the tank 2 located on Y that I the engine, can be made sensitive to engine tvibratio'n whereas the pumping unit 45 would be operative when the automobile goes over the road. It will be seen that with a plurality of pumping elements that they can be located at different points.- In this particular case the pumping units are located so as to be best influenced by the vibrations to which they are to be susceptible. The bracket 46 which secures the pumping device 2 to the engine can be made of such a nature as to allow the entire device to vibrate, iii-which case the entire mass element.

vibrating would be an aidto the pumping In this case the valves can be arranged so that their openingand closing corresponds to theifdirection of the vibration of the device tlius aiding their opening and seatingand not interfering with their action. v

While I' have shown a number of constructions of. my device, it will be readily I seen that various modifications in detail and arrangement are possible within the scope of my invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a

' source of fuel upply, and destination therefor a rifne mover of a vibrator character i body containing said prime mover.

3. In a device of the kind described, a source of fuel supply, and destination there-- for, a prime mover of a vibratory character, a mass susceptible to the vibration, of

and mounted on said rime mover, and means for pumping fue from said source to the said destination when said mass vibrates. 4. In a device ,ofthekind fdescribeda source of fuel supply,--a'tank containing a limited supply of fuel, a liquid pump, a vibratory character, a pum susceptible to the vibration of and mounte d' on said prime mover, means for transferring fuel from said source to 'saidtank asrequired by means of said pump.

5. In a device of the kind. described, a ource of fuel supply, a prime. mover of a vibratory character, a tank containing a limited supply of fuel, a liquid pump, ,a weighted mass susceptible to the vibration of said prime mover connected to said pump.- to supply said tank as required. p 6. In a device-of the kind described, a source of. fuel supply, and destination therefor, a prime mover, means for pumping fuel. from said supply to said destination, and a resilient ele' entmounting said means onsaid f tlfii om 7. Mai-device 'of'the kind described, a source of fuel supply, and destination therefor, a prime mover, a'pump for transferring fuel from said supply tosaid destination, a resilient; bracket mounting said pump on said prime mover, and valves in said pump functioning synchronously with the vibration of the pump.

8.. In a deviceof .the kind described, a liquid pump, a vibratory mass connected to said pump, and means for restricting the vibrations of said mass bv air pressure.

- 9. In a device of the kind described, a:

pump, a vibratory mass connected to said pump, a flexible element supporting said mass, and a dash-pot for restricting the vi-' brations of said mass.

10. In a device of the kind described, a

diaphragm, achamber containing liquid on.

one side thereof, an inlet, and discharge valve in said chamber, aprime mover of a vibratory character, and vibratory means susceptible to the vibration'of said prime mover for actuatingsaid diaphragm.

11. In a device of the kind described, a

diaphragm, a chamber containing liquid on one side thereof, an inlet, and discharge valve in said chamber, a prime mover of a vibratory character, and a weighted mass susceptible to the vibration of said prime mover actuating said diaphragm.

12. In a deviceof the kind described,

diaphragm, a chamber cont'aining-liquid.on.

one side thereof, an inlet, and discharge .valve in said chamber, a prime mover of a vibratory character, a weighted mass susceptible to the vibration of saidyprimfllfl mover secured to said diaphragm, and lie ble means for suspending said mass." Y

source of fuel supply, and destination there-'- for, a prime mover of a vibrato character,- a plurality of. masses suscepti le to the vibrations of and caused by said'prime mover and means for pumping fuel from said sourceto said destination when any of said masses vibrates.

14. In a device of the kind described, a source of fuelsupply, and vdestinationtherefor,.a plurality of masses each susceptible to a vibration of different intensity, and means for pumping'. fuel from said source to said destinationwhen any. of said masses vibrates. r 7

15. In a device of the kind described, a source of fuel supply, and'destination therefor, a mass susceptible to vibration, means for pumping fuel. from said source to said destination when said mass vibrates, and automatic means for varying the intensity of for, a prime mover, means for pumping fuel' from said supplyto said destination by 13. In a device of the kind described ,i a

means of the vibrationof'said prime mover,

and independent means located in said source for pumping fuel.

17. In a device of the kind described, a

source of fuel supply susceptible to vibration, a chamber containing a limited supply of fuel, an engine means for feeding fuel to said engine froffii said chamber, a pump tr;

located'in said source, and means for transferring fuel from said source to said chamher by means of the vibration of said source. 18. In a device of the kind described, a diaphragm, a chamber containing liquid on one side thereof, means allowing atmospheric pressure on the other side thereof, an inlet, and discharge valve in said chamber, and a weighted mass actuating said diaphragm.

19.-In a device of the kind described, a

diaphragm, a chamber containing liquid on one side thereof,means allowing atmospheric same, and adash-pot forrestricting the vibration of said mass.

Whereunto I have afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses this 2nd day of May, 1917.

AUSTIN M. WOLF. Witnesses:

WILLIAM 'SCHUCE,. MARGARET B. WOLF. 

